


Sparring Match

by OneDyingWish



Category: Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World (Anime)
Genre: Banter, Established Relationship, F/M, Felix being surprisingly competent at fighting, Gender Identity, Gender Issues, Referenced Sex, Rem/Subaru in the background, Romance, Secret Relationship, Sparring, Subaru being silly, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:41:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25558273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneDyingWish/pseuds/OneDyingWish
Summary: Crusch and Felix have a little sparring match, because that's her idea of recreation. Takes place vaguely during the time when Rem and Subaru lived at the Karsten estate in Arc 3.
Relationships: Felix Argyle | Ferris/Crusch Karsten
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	Sparring Match

**Author's Note:**

> I've been sitting on this fic for months. I'm not particularly proud of it, but it's came to my attention that there's such a dearth of Crelix content that I might as well get it out there into the world.

Business, business, business. The royal capital refused to slow down for anyone, even for her—especially for her. As the heir to House Karsten and candidate to succeed the throne, her life had become a flurry of activity in the past couple weeks that left her little time for leisure.

She was grateful that today was an exception. They had a few hours of free time alloted this afternoon, and Crusch planned to spend it with one of her favorite pastimes—rigorous physical training. Less of the grueling and monotonous sort, though—today she would spar. 

"You look so excited~" Said the catboy at her side, giggling as they walked down the covered corridor. 

"Hm? Do I really?" Crusch felt just the tiniest bit self-conscious. 

"You keep smiling to yourself." 

She blushed. "Well, it would be correct to say that I am looking forward to this..." 

"'Course you would! You've been up to your nyeck in work, Ms. Crusch." 

"Indeed. I sorely need the excitement of some training... but you know, Felix, I do not think you would have noticed my excitement if not for how well you know me." 

"Hehe, you just don't wanna admit how c—how obvious it was, nyah~" 

Subaru was following shortly behind the two of them and Wilhelm, the old master-at-arms, who happened to be carrying a large woolen bag slung over his shoulder. "They sure seem to get along well," he said to Rem. 

"They're cute, aren't they?" She agreed. 

Wilhelm turned and gave the pair behind him a mildly skeptical look, then turned back to the pair in front. He felt distinctly old. 

They came to a short set of steps leading down to a pair of heavy wooden doors. The old man produced a key and opened them to reveal a vast and dusty room, empty apart from scattered crates on the far wall and pillars spaced at intervals for support. It was a basement, submerged partially into the ground, with small windows visibly braced up against the soil outside, letting in just enough light to dimly illuminate the space. 

"Sheesh, pretty grim in here!" Subaru said, palms casually on the back of his head. 

"It's charming," Crusch declared with a glimmer in her eye.

Van Astrea spoke up. "As you requested, my Lady, I had the food stores transferred out last month."

"Splendid work. This old storeroom will certainly prove suitable."

Astrea proceeded to light up a few torches in the room's central area, where the daylight struggled to reach. It helped dampen some of the gloom a bit. 

"So why exercise in here? Can'tcha just spar in the courtyard like me and Mr. Wilhelm?" 

"Subaru, you dummy! We don't want anyone peering at Ms. Crusch, see?" Felix replied playfully. 

"Hey, I'm not dumb!" 

Rem giggled to herself. 

"Don't be rude now, Felix," Crusch admonished lightly. "But what he said is essentially correct. Our estate is surrounded by the city, after all. Anyone could look beyond our gates and see us, or surveil us through other magical means. But we've made sure that—well, can you tell, Ms. Rem?" 

She was surprised to be addressed. "Oh, me, Lady Karsten? If you are referring to the defensive runes placed on the walls and floor, I noticed them immediately." 

Crusch smiled. "Precisely. We've made every effort to assure privacy in this room." 

Subaru looked back and forth between the two of them, looking distinctly lost. "Huh? I didn't notice anything... but you know, isn't this all a lot of trouble just for a workout?" 

"I don't think so. Besides, a room such as this can have multiple purposes. The stone walls and the soil's natural insulation make it ideal for magical rituals, for one." 

Felix seemed to be wiggling around in place. "Ms. Cruuuusch, don't you think we shouldn't reveal all our secrets to this boy?"

"Not so! I wouldn't reveal anything of genuine importance..." 

"There they go again..." Rem said aside to Subaru, giggling. 

After some more good-natured bantering, the awkward Wilhelm untied his bag, containing a half-dozen wooden and blunted steel swords. Everyone apart from Rem began their own warm-ups. 

"Lean this way, nyow~" Felix said as he pulled on Crusch's foot. They were both sitting across from each other on the floor and helping one another stretch. She was dressed comfortably in a shirt of white linen, black breeches, and supple leather boots that went up to the knee. Felix had eschewed his usual skirts and stockings for a sleek, forest-green doublet, black tights, and laced up brown boots. The taut lean muscle of his lower body was apparent even through the fabric. 

"You look unusually masculine today," she said, with perhaps a hint of admiration or something more. 

"Gross! don't remind me..." 

"I'm sorry Felix, did I make you uncomfortable?"

"N-Nyo, nyo! I was just joking!"

"Oh, of course... that's a relief. But still, thank you for dressing practically today." 

He smiled. "It's nyo big deal." 

"I really am quite thrilled," she said. 

"I nyow you are, cutie-pie~" he whispered. 

"F-Felix!" She blushed pink. 

"Hey, do you wanna see some of my radio calisthenics?" Subaru called out. "They're great for stretching!"

Crusch leaned back on her palms and turned towards him. "Radial calis... thenics?"

"No, no,  _ radio _ , it's like this..." He proceeded to start hopping up and down and swinging his arms around wildly.

Van Astrea sighed. "My Lady, his behavior is inexplicable. He tried to have me do them as well." 

"Lady Karsten, please forgive his foolishness on my behalf," Rem said as she bowed. 

Crusch was the picture of befuddlement. "By my word, I have never seen anything so ridiculous...!"

Subaru looked crushed. Felix was on his side laughing uncontrollably, Wilhelm was second-hand embarrassed, and Rem seemed serene despite her apology. "It's okay, Subaru..." the maid reassured while patting him on the back. 

It was turning out to be a fun day after all. 

\---------------

The grip felt good in Crusch's hand. She liked to squeeze it and feel the worn leather hug her palm back.  _ Even a wooden sword feels this good to me now? Goodness... I've been too long out of practice.  _

Her first opponent was nothing special, to put it gently. Subaru had told her he "really knew his way around a wooden sword," but that didn't do much to raise her expectations. She had seen his and Wilhelm's "sparring" in the yard, after all. Still, she was antsy to start. Her fingers clenched and unclenched beneath the padded leather gauntlets they wore to protect their fingers. 

"On my count," Wilhelm said. She raised her sword above her head, with both hands. 

"Three... two... one—begin!" 

"Hiyaaa!!!" Subaru charged with reckless abandon. She took a small step to the right, planted her foot, and struck the side of his sword with so much force that it was blown from his hands, clattering on the floor. The exchange took about two seconds. 

"J-Jeez! What the hell was that?! Even the old man doesn't hit like that..." 

She took a deep breath. "I am sorry, I may have used excessive force. Please pick up your sword again."

Felix giggled. "I can tell how this is gonna go!" 

"You can do it, Subaru! Don't give up!" Rem called.

He looked uncertain, but obliged. The first strike had frightened him so much that he when he came at her again, he was scared of getting in close. So she came to him—advancing with a deceptively low and open guard before her weapon whipped out in a blur that he just barely blocked, to his credit. The next cracked him on the bicep and his sword clattered to the floor once more. 

"Oww!!" He hissed at the pain, pulling up his shirt sleeve to reveal a bruise already forming. 

She put her hands on her hips. "I think that settles that, Subaru Natsuki. I apologize for hurting you, but your defense truly had more holes than cheese. Will you take a look at his arm, Felix?" 

While Felix applied some healing magic to Subaru's bruise and Rem was busy consoling him on his loss, she set to some parrying drills with the old master swordsman, this time with blunted steel. He had taught her most everything she knew. Training with him felt like going back home. It felt good to go through the motions—her body moved reflexively in tune to his blows, conditioned by a life of training. 

From an early age, she had already developed her affinity for long-distance wind slashes, a terrifying offensive weapon—but she had never neglected the arts of close-quarters combat. She may have to fight indoors, she said. Her long-distance strikes were so destructive that they could split a tree in half from fifty meters away, but such a technique could be dangerous to her allies, and certainly destructive towards property. She maintained that she would always be ready for an infight, and to that end she had learned from the best.

Her and Wilhelm's swords rang out for minutes as they drilled, drilled the swordplay that had been seared into her bones. She was getting sharper and sharper with each minute. By the time they were done, she had worked up a good sweat. She felt loose and fluid, her muscles felt big, the sword an extension of her arm. It was time. 

Felix strolled over towards her, steel in his hand. "Ready to go, Ms. Crusch?" 

She smiled broadly. "More than ready." 

\---------------

Felix bounced on his feet, up and down and back and forth. He looked as lithe and springy as a leopard and pretty as a flower—delicate, even—but she knew all too well how strong and taut his little muscles were. He seemed just as excited as her now, with a certain fire blazing in his eyes. 

"You look hardly a healer, Felix." 

Subaru agreed. "Yeah man. What's the intensity all about? You gonna kill your master or something?" 

"Nyever talk about killing my master, Subaru," he replied, not even looking at him. He lowered his training helm's visor over his face, eyes still fixed on Crusch's. He held his sword low, the tip almost resting on the ground as he bent, fit to pounce on her. She assumed her high guard, the same stance she had used against Subaru. 

"The guard of the falcon. Your favorite," Felix said. 

"And yours—the guard of the fool." 

"On my count," Wilhelm began.

Subaru turned towards Rem. "Pssh. Can this guy even fight? He's about as intimidating as Puck. Nah, not even, 'cause at least Puck is a spirit and—" 

"Begin!" 

The air seemed to split open with a screech of steel. The first movement was so fast that Subaru couldn't tell who had struck first. Then he saw them trading blows in rapid succession, each clash piercing his ears. Crusch swung and was parried before Felix stepped in to strike, only to be answered with her own parry. She lunged forward with a piercing motion towards the center of his protective leather jerkin, only for him to gracefully step just out of reach and ward her away with a side-slash that grazed her sleeve. The first exchange was over—now they paced around and circled one another at a distance. 

"W-What the..." 

"This is high level swordplay, Subaru." Rem calmly stated. "Do you think it's impressive?" 

"I, uh... I didn't expect Felix to..." 

Wilhelm spoke up. "Felix has been Lady Karsten's sparring partner for many years now. He may be a healer, but he is her knight, too—he doesn't wear that sword for show." 

Crusch could feel her heart pounding, the blood coursing through her veins. The jolt from those first blows lingered in her arms like a lover's kiss. She couldn't help but grin. 

"Having fun?" Felix called out, padding back and forth on his feet, light as a feather. 

"Indeed!" She advanced again in the falcon's stance. He let her come. Strike after strike came from her, an aerial onslaught of arcing blows with all the force of her arms. Yet Felix weathered them with astonishing grace. He would make the smallest adjustment to his posture and present his blade in the way of hers in such a way that he seemed to shrug off each strike. The force of her sword dissipated into his defense like someone slamming a fist into flowing water.

"It's obvious how much stronger she is," Rem said. "But he's taking everything she gives him." 

"Y-Yeah, but he's still stuck on defense, though..." 

That would soon change. Felix sidestepped at a crucial moment, and Crusch swung at air. She got her guard up only a bare instant before his blade struck her like a whip. She was off-balance now, desperately backing away, but he pursued her like a leopard with his prey. His blade leapt out at her from obscure angles, rattling her more and more each time as she hastily guarded them all. It looked like he was certain to land a hit on her, when she shifted her weight onto her back foot and violently pushed off to lunge forward and counter with a monstrous overhand strike. This time, he hadn't seen it coming—it hit his hastily thrown up sword so hard that it chipped the edge and blew him back onto his butt. 

He pulled up his visor and pointed at her. "Got you!" 

Crusch yanked off her helm to reveal a face shiny with sweat, hair sticking to her forehead. "Well done." 

"Huh? What?" Subaru looked clueless. 

Crusch turned to the side to show her arm—the white linen had been slashed, a thin trickle of blood running from the outside of her bicep down her forearm. "First point to Felix," she declared. "You cut me right before my counter."

"Hahhh?!" 

Rem gently clapped. "Good job, Felix!"

"Thanks, Remmie!" He hopped to his feet and went to Crusch's side immediately to attend her. The cuts and bruises of sparring were, for the most part, of no great consequence to them. Such was the potency of Felix's healing. 

"Ahh, I don't get it!" The boy clutched at his hair. "How is a healer this strong?!" 

"As I said, Felix is more than a healer, Subaru. He is the sort of person who is, well—naturally skilled at everything, to some degree. How do you think he managed to rise through House Karsten's court?" 

"I—I dunno, how?" 

"Merit." 

After Felix had tended to her, they resumed sparring for several more rounds, trading wins back and forth. They were about even, for the most part. Even when Crusch threatened to overwhelm him with her raw strength, he had formidable stamina that allowed him to dodge and strafe around and harry her with well-timed blows. Like a warhorse, Crusch had trained more for sheer power than endurance, and found herself perpetually at a mismatch with him. It was one reason why she loved it so much. 

Their battle soon became one of who could best read and predict one another's movements. It was terribly difficult to implement in the chaos of actual combat, but she was getting better at detecting the "Wind of Truth" given off from his moves. She generally relied on her eyes and reflexes alone, but there were times when she felt a feint coming, or felt the honest violent malice in an overhand strike. It was exhilarating to get it right—but she was reminded that her execution was far from perfect every time his sword came at her just a little bit quicker than she had anticipated, or the lag in her movements costed her a blow which she should have landed. Still, she felt herself getting better and better with each second, if only in increments. 

Their swordplay came to an end around their tenth round. She had gradually driven his back closer and closer to one of the many support pillars in the room. She knew that he knew the peril of his position, and she watched for him to make his escape—sure enough, when he strafed to the right, she hit him with a side-swing that sent him off balance. Against his and everyone's expectations, she followed up with a low quick to the outside of his leg that sent him to the floor. She pinned his arm under her knee, gripped the blade of her sword halfway with her other hand, and pointed its tip towards his eye-slit. 

"Do you yield?" she said with a smirk. It was clear who had won.

He was flat on his back and stunned. "Okay, okay..." He took off his banged up helm and tossed it aside. She stood up and took off hers, shaking her hair and glowing in the sunlight with her victory. She tossed her helm and sword lightly towards Subaru. She reached down to give Felix a hand, but when he clasped her palm, he looked up at her with a face that was far too mischievous. "Hey, I didn't actually say I yielded, did I...?" 

The next thing she knew, he was pulling all her weight forward and she was flying in the air, landing square on her back. She wasn't sure if she was more surprised that he had done it or that it hadn't hurt at all. Realizing what was happening, she flipped over onto her belly with a grin. 

"Grappling training, then?" She said, pulling off her leather vest. 

"Nya-ha!" 

Subaru was bewildered. "These two are monsters..."    
  


\---------------   
  


If Felix was elusive in swordplay, he was even harder to pin down in grappling. He had literally inhuman flexibility—his demi-human heritage had lended his body curious advantages that made him a surprisingly vexing opponent. She was far stronger than him, far brawnier, but he had a knack for slithering like a snake out of her holds. 

At the moment, she was breathing heavily, with Felix on top of her back, a position she found herself in far too often with him. She would be embarrassed, but Wilhelm had asked Subaru and Rem to leave, and he was currently standing guard outside. The two were left alone in their struggle. 

He was perilously close to a getting her in a chokehold, and was trying to wrap his legs around her body for control. She wouldn't let him, doing whatever she could to contort herself and push her leg off the ground to throw him off balance and keep him from establishing control. She knew all too well that his legs were the most dangerous part of him. His arms may not be able to generate that much power, but his legs certainly could. 

Her muscles were screaming, but she liked it like that. She bid her time for the right moment, for Felix to find himself just slightly off balance, before rolling over onto her side and throwing him across her body onto his back. She went in to mount him, to pin him down beneath her, but she was too slow and tired and he slipped away like a cat. 

"Damn you," she said hoarsely. "All that effort... for nothing?" 

"You probably shouldn't..." he took a couple breaths. "...talk." 

They assumed stances low to the ground. Crusch sprang forward with a surprise shot to his leg, managing to seize his ankle and clumsily bring the two of them to the ground again. She was surprised at the successful takedown—clearly he was getting tired too. Mounting him wasn't as fruitful. In their struggle, she seized his wrists with a grip that made him wince, but he somehow wiggled around and she ended up on her back anyway. 

But she had planned for this position. Felix had mounted her, sitting squarely on her belly, but his arms didn't have much power left in them anymore. His teeth were bared like an animal that just wanted his prey to give up already. He pressed his forearm against her neck, elbow pinning her shoulder down. Her arms were still strong though, and she staved off the choking arm with a hand wedged between it and herself. At the same time, her legs were creeping up his body. Her fingers tightened around his arm, locking it to prevent escape, as her thighs wrapped around his neck. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late. She had crossed her legs over one another and was squeezing with all the power of her lower body. If Felix's legs were strong, hers were on another level entirely—and there was no escape now. His vision was already starting to go black. He tapped. 

\---------------

It was night out, a cool air blowing into her bedroom as they laid together. The breeze always felt good after sex. 

He was at her side, snuggled up in the crook of her arm. Both of them were in their nightgowns. The sound of his purring soothed her as she tousled his hair and rubbed his ears. 

"You're my little kitten, aren't you?" 

"Mmhm." 

"Are you my precious, lovely one?" 

"Mmm..." 

"My sweetheart?" 

"Stooop, you're making me blush!" 

She giggled and pressed a kiss to his forehead. She knew how much he loved it when she talked cute to him.

"You know, I'm all sore because of you," she told him. 

He lifted up his head, frowning in concern. "I didn't mean to hurt you... Do you want me to massage you again?" 

"N-No, no! It's alright, love. I was about to say that it feels good."

He made a little whine and burrowed his head into her chest. "Oh, I hate hurting you..." 

She wrapped both arms around him and planted a half dozen kisses on his forehead. "I know you do. Thank you for not holding back on me," she whispered. 

He hugged her back. Their feet tangled up together under the sheets. 

"You weren't meant for violence, Felix..." she whispered. "You have healer's hands. Hands that give life. I'm sorry that I ask you to use them for other purposes." 

He talked quietly, head laid against her chest. "I mean, it's nyot like I don't like sparring with you, you nyow? I love it, actually. I just don't like the part where I hurt you..." 

She smiled. "You're so sweet. For myself, I like a bit of pain, though."

He giggled. "That's a weird thing to say..." 

"Perhaps, perhaps. But you make it all a-right afterwards. With your healing..." 

Her hand traveled down and gave him a little squeeze between his legs. "And your massages." 

"Ooh..." he cooed and wiggled around a little.

"But still..." her voice turned more serious. "I wasn't just talking about sparring just now." 

"Hmm?" 

"I mean... I've asked you to hurt others before. With those hands of yours. And as your master, I will surely ask of you to do it again." 

"Oh. That's what you mean?" He looked up at her and pressed a finger to her lips. "You don't have to ask me, silly! I'll get my hands as dirty as you want." 

She was surprised. "Felix..." 

"If it's for you, I'd rub my nyose in bloody battlefield dirt. Whatever it takes. All you have to do..." He pecked her lips. "...is say the word." 

She cupped his face and kissed him back urgently, before hugging him tightly to her chest. "I don't deserve anyone so loyal as you..." 

"Nyonsense!" He protested, though his voice was muffled with a face full of her breasts. She let up on the suffocating embrace a little. 

"Though, you know, that was really quite a graphic metaphor. I hope you won't have to do that anytime soon." 

"Hopefully nyot... but that's what I accepted when I swore to be your nyight, isn't it?" 

"True enough. You're bound to me, we could say." 

"Nyow you're making it sound weird!" 

They both broke into giggling. "Though I don't mind that," he said with a playful kiss. 

"Oh, Felix... there was another thing I wanted to ask you about." 

"What is it?" 

"Um, well..." She blushed and looked awkwardly to the side. "Was it really alright when I said you looked masculine?" 

His lips parted a bit. He thought for a moment. "Hm, well... it made me a little bit sad, but only a little." Crusch winced. "You nyow how I've told you before? Sometimes I feel more like a boy. I like the way I feel when I wear my nyight's uniform. I feel strong, and proud to serve you." He put her hand on top of hers, rubbed his thumb in circles on her skin.

"But most of the time... I want to wear my dresses, I love feeling girly, and being cute... it's just that today, I was being boyish less because I felt like it, and more that I wanted to train with you. Sorry, um, I'm rambling..."

"No, not at all... oh, Felix. I'm sorry... I forced you to do that—" 

"Shhh." He pressed his finger to her lip and leaned in close. "It's okay, Cruschie. I really do love training with you! It's fun, we get stronger, and... it makes you happy. If I can't do that with my favorite frilly dress on, that's okay!" 

"But... I made you sad, didn't I...?" 

"Well... only the tiniest bit. It isn't your fault... I nyow you didn't mean anything by it. You would nyever try to hurt me." 

"T-That's right!" She held his hands close to her heart. "I love you... both sides of you."

His eyes widened. "I nyow you do." He kissed her lips gently.

"I'll be more sensitive about it." 

"It really isn't that big of a deal..." 

But the way he blushed and averted his eyes seemed to indicate that her words meant a great deal to him indeed. 

"I love you so much, darling." She pulled him in to her chest again, where he nestled himself comfortably. He curled up in her embrace and wrapped his tail around her thigh, as the two settled into deep sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> The thing is I really wanted to write about Crusch and Felix sparring. Or more like, I wanted to write a combat scene, and this ship gave me an excuse to do that. The rest of the fic was kind of built around it, and I'm pleased with the results, especially with the playful dialogue early on. Still, I could have done more with it.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading! Leave a comment if you like, they really encourage me to keep putting more fics out there. Look forward to more Crelix and Re zero content in the near future.


End file.
